The Hong Kong national security legislation will effectively bring China’s legal system to the city and will give power to the Chinese government to apply pending law without the approval of Hong Kong’s legislature, say critics.
Beijing is yet to confirm the legislation’s relevant clauses, however, officials have indicated that those in breach of the law, could be extradited to the mainland for trial.
“This national security legislation shows that the Communist Party has lost its patience and confidence in ‘one country, two systems’, as well as the Hong Kong people and our administration,” Civic Party opposition lawmaker Tanya Chan said.
“This is a warning and a reminder to Hong Kong people about who is the boss,” Chan said.
China says the law is aimed at tackling separatist activity, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces, but critics fear it will crush wide-ranging freedoms that are seen as key to Hong Kong’s status as a global financial center.
The passage of Hong Kong security legislation by China has sparked domestic protests and was received with international criticism.
On Thursday, Foreign Ministers of the Group of Seven (G7) member countries also issued a joint statement strongly urging China to reconsider its decision to impose national security legislation on Hong Kong.
“The proposed national security law would risk seriously undermining the ‘one country, two systems’ principle and the territory’s high degree of autonomy. It would jeopardize the system which has allowed Hong Kong to flourish and made it a success over many years,” the Foreign Ministers of G7 said in the statement.
Some political commentators say the law is aimed at sealing Hong Kong’s “second return” to the motherland after Britain’s 1997 handover failed to bring residents of the restive city to heel.
At the time of the handover, China promised to allow Hong Kong a high degree of autonomy for 50 years under what is known as the “one country two systems” enshrined in the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration, although democracy activists say Beijing has increasingly tightened its grip over the city.
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